What Shapiro & Duncan does

Shapiro & Duncan is a third-generation, family-owned mechanical construction services firm founded in 1976 and headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, serving the Greater Washington D.C. metro area. The company provides full-lifecycle mechanical solutions spanning pre-construction (estimating, budgeting, value engineering), in-house engineering (licensed professional engineers in MD/DC/VA/WV), Virtual Design Construction (BIM/3D modeling), prefabrication at a 51,000+ sq ft Landover, MD fabrication facility, mechanical construction (design-build, design-assist, design-bid-build), Special Projects ($500 to $8M range), HVAC Controls (building automation using ABB and ASI Controls, supporting BACnet, Modbus, and Lon protocols), and ongoing commercial HVAC service with 24/7 emergency response. Technology adoption includes Procore project management, digital fabrication tracking, and a solar-powered prefabrication facility (925 SunPower modules, net-positive electricity since 2019). The company has completed over 3,000 projects and installed more than $2 billion of mechanical systems since founding.

The firm operates a project-based plus recurring-service revenue model. Construction projects are won through competitive bidding and direct contracting with general contractors (Hensel Phelps, Clark Construction, Gilbane, Skanska, Whiting-Turner), developers, property owners, and government agencies, with individual contracts ranging from $500 (Special Projects minimum) to over $80 million (MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, the largest single project). Recurring revenue comes from planned maintenance contracts, emergency service, and the Data Center Division (Sterling, VA). Customer segments are diversified across healthcare, government/institutional (World Bank, IMF, WMATA), education, mission-critical data centers, life science, corporate office, transportation, and high-rise residential. The firm is privately held with no external investors, no funding rounds, and no M&A activity, with third-generation Shapiro family members and COO Charlie Ayres as owners. The Greater DC metro area is its exclusive operating geography.

The business is recognized as the 2nd largest mechanical contractor in the Greater DC Area (Washington Business Journal 2025) and #8 largest specialty trade contractor by employees, with a 0.54 EMR (below industry average of 1.0) and ABC STEP Platinum safety certification. Awards include ABC Top Performer (2026), ABC Excellence in Construction / Subcontractor of the Year (2024, 2025), WBC Craftsmanship Awards across multiple years, and the Hensel Phelps Outstanding Performance Award (2023). The company does not pursue geographic expansion beyond the DC metro, has no disclosed AI/ML or proprietary software capabilities, and relies on its skilled labor base (350+ professionals), fabrication capital, and regional relationships as its primary competitive moats.

Name

Shapiro & Duncan

Legal name

Shapiro & Duncan, Inc.

Website

https://shapiroandduncan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Shapiro & Duncan is a third-generation, family-owned mechanical construction firm in Rockville, Maryland providing design-build, engineering, prefabrication, BIM/VDC, HVAC controls, and commercial service for healthcare, government, education, and mission-critical clients across the Greater Washington D.C. metro area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mechanical Construction Services

NAICS

Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (238220), Building Equipment Contractors (2382), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)

akta.pro primary industry

HVAC & Refrigeration Contracting (IMAFALAB)

Keywords

• Mechanical construction services
• HVAC installation
• Design-build contracting
• Building automation controls
• Mechanical engineering solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Mechanical Construction Projects: One-time project-based revenue from design-build, design-assist, and design-bid-build mechanical construction projects. Revenue ranges from $500,000 (Special Projects) to over $80 million (large healthcare/hospital projects). Projects are won through competitive bidding and direct contracting with GCs, developers, and owners.
2. Commercial Service & Maintenance: Recurring revenue from planned maintenance contracts, emergency service repairs, and 24/7 HVAC service for commercial clients. Service department with certified technicians handles troubleshooting, diagnostics, maintenance, and repair/replacement of equipment.
3. HVAC Controls: Revenue from building automation systems, control installations, energy management, and retrofit-commissioning services for HVAC equipment and building systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Shapiro & Duncan is a full-service mechanical construction services provider delivering design-build, engineering, prefabrication, mechanical construction, special projects, HVAC controls, and commercial HVAC service/maintenance. The company serves commercial, government, and institutional clients in the Greater Washington D.C. area, executing projects ranging from $500 to over $80 million through design-build, design-assist, design-bid-build, and owner-direct contracting. All management, design-build, construction, and customer service functions operate from the Rockville, Maryland headquarters, with a 51,000+ square foot fabrication facility in Landover, MD.

Product overview

Shapiro & Duncan is a mechanical construction services provider offering a comprehensive suite of integrated services as a unified offering rather than a modular software platform. The company's services are delivered through internal departments that work collaboratively: Pre-Construction (estimating and budgeting), Engineering (licensed professional engineers), Virtual Design Construction (in-house BIM/3D modeling), Prefabrication (51,000+ sq ft facility), Mechanical Construction (full-service MEP installation), Special Projects (projects $500 to $8 million), HVAC Controls (building automation with ABB/ASI Controls, BACnet/Modbus/Lon protocols), and Commercial Service (maintenance and emergency repair). All management, design-build, construction, and customer service functions are housed under one roof at the company's Rockville, Maryland headquarters, enabling seamless coordination across all project phases from pre-construction through maintenance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Construction Services
• Engineering
• Virtual Design Construction (VDC) / BIM
• Prefabrication
• Mechanical Construction
• Special Projects
• HVAC Controls
• Commercial Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Set world record for fastest large data center delivery (Project Goliath, 2015)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• DC Students Construction Trades FoundationsupportingOthersCharitable foundation partnership supporting future construction professionals with training and educational scholarships. CEO Sheldon Shapiro was an active board member. The Sheldon Shapiro Charitable Foundation partners with this organization to support students pursuing construction careers.
• Maryland Center for ConstructionsupportingOthersPartnership with Maryland Center for Construction through the Sheldon Shapiro Charitable Foundation for workforce development and educational support.
• ACE Mentoring of WashingtonsupportingOthersIndustry outreach partnership helping students learn about construction career paths. Shapiro & Duncan participates in mentoring programs and provides internships through this organization.
• University of Maryland (UMD)supportingOthersPartnership through Sheldon Shapiro Charitable Foundation for scholarships and workforce development. Multiple company leaders hold degrees from UMD including Jerry Shapiro (Electrical Engineering), Ameen Khouri (Mechanical Engineering), Dan Zimmerman (Mechanical Engineering).
• Software and Application Developers (Strategic Fabrication Partners)coreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic partnerships with industry-leading software and application developers for comprehensive transparency and enhanced visibility throughout the fabrication process. Real-time updates on work progress, completed tasks, and shipments for on-site installation.
• ABBcoreTechnology or IntegrationControl product manufacturer partner for Shapiro & Duncan's Automated Controls Department. ABB products help achieve peak performance of building HVAC equipment and mechanical systems.
• ASI ControlscoreTechnology or IntegrationControl product manufacturer partner for HVAC building automation systems. Used alongside ABB products to provide field-proven hardware and solutions for building control.
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Metro Washington/VirginiacoreOthersPartnership for apprenticeship program sponsorship. In partnership with ABC, Shapiro & Duncan offers a comprehensive four-year journey for aspiring apprentices in plumbing, HVAC Service, and pipefitting. ABC accreditation for apprenticeship training.
• Association of Air Conditioning Professionals (AACP)supportingOthersTraining partner for apprenticeship program providing certification and continuing education for HVAC apprentices.
• Howard County Community College (HCC)supportingOthersEducational institution partner for apprenticeship program providing classroom instruction and degree pathways for apprentices.
• Procore TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationProcore is an integral part of Shapiro & Duncan's project management arsenal, facilitating seamless coordination with advanced construction management software. Used for on-site quantity tracking and accurate labor and material projections.
• Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)supportingOthersIndustry association membership for HVAC contractors providing advocacy, education, and standards for the industry.
• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)supportingOthersProfessional membership organization for HVAC engineers. Engineering staff maintains active membership and participation with local ASHRAE chapters.
• American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE)supportingOthersProfessional membership organization for plumbing engineers. Engineering staff maintains active membership and participation with local ASPE chapters.
• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)supportingOthersOrganization membership supporting LEED certification and green building initiatives. Shapiro & Duncan has LEED-certified team members providing guidance on sustainable building practices.
• Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA)supportingOthersProfessional membership for design-build professionals. Engineering staff holds DBIA certifications and participates in local chapter activities.
• CraftMasterssupportingOthersPartnership through Sheldon Shapiro Charitable Foundation supporting skilled trades training and workforce development programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Comfort Systems USA: Largest publicly traded national mechanical contractor with HVAC, plumbing, and controls services across the US; competes with Shapiro & Duncan on large commercial, healthcare, and government projects in the Mid-Atlantic.
• EMCOR Group: Fortune 500 mechanical and electrical construction services provider with major presence across US regions including Mid-Atlantic; competes on the largest healthcare, government, and data center builds Shapiro & Duncan targets.
• Southland Industries: Large national mechanical contractor with integrated design, fabrication, and installation capabilities — comparable integrated model and competes on larger healthcare and mission-critical projects in the eastern US.
• APi Group: Large safety, specialty, and industrial services platform with mechanical services exposure; competes for large mechanical and HVAC service contracts in commercial and institutional end markets.
• IES Holdings: National provider of electrical and mechanical infrastructure services including HVAC, plumbing, and controls for commercial and industrial customers — competes with Shapiro & Duncan on mid-to-large commercial projects.

Direct peers

• Limbach Holdings: Public mechanical, electrical, and plumbing contractor operating across multiple US regions with design-build, prefabrication, and HVAC service capabilities — the closest publicly traded direct peer to Shapiro & Duncan's integrated mechanical contracting model.
• John J. Kirlin: DC-area mechanical contractor specializing in design-build HVAC and plumbing for healthcare, government, and institutional projects — overlaps with Shapiro & Duncan's core DC metro market and verticals.
• W.E. Bowers & Associates: Regional Mid-Atlantic mechanical contractor focused on HVAC and plumbing for commercial and institutional clients in Maryland, DC, and Virginia — directly comparable footprint and customer set to Shapiro & Duncan.
• Hatzel & Buehler: Mid-Atlantic electrical and mechanical contractor with a similar regional concentration and customer mix to Shapiro & Duncan — comparable local-market positioning on healthcare, education, and government projects.
• ACCO Engineered Systems: Mechanical and plumbing contractor serving commercial, healthcare, and institutional customers with design-build and service capabilities across the western and central US — comparable service mix and project size range.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ShapiroandDuncan
• Facebookfacebook.com/ShapiroandDuncan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shapiroandduncan
• Instagraminstagram.com/sndmechanical
• Xx.com/SNDMechanical

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shapiro & Duncan